Greenville will get a taste of Nashville hot chicken with a national franchise coming to Woodruff Road.
Los Angeles food staple, Dave’s Hot Chicken will open doors at 10 a.m. Friday and stay open until midnight. The hours are the same on Saturday and are 11 a.m.-10 p.m. on weekdays and Sundays.
The restaurant at 1224 Woodruff Road specializes in jumbo hot chicken tenders and sliders. Diners can choose from seven spice levels with a signed waiver required for the hottest, the Reaper. The menu also includes house-made kale slaw, macaroni and cheese, and seasoned fries.
The location will be the second Dave’s Hot Chicken in South Carolina. The first opened in Columbia last year.
Matt Simonetti, vice president of the South Carolina franchises and an Anderson resident, said it’s great to have a hot chicken restaurant like DHC in the Upstate.
“It's awesome. I love the Upstate and I love Greenville. Food is a big part of the culture here and we just think it's a great fit for Dave's chicken,” Simonetti said. All of my friends and family will be here. This definitely hits home a little bit more than any other location we could've chosen."
For franchise owner Kal Gullapalli, the area's growth made it imperative to expand to Greenville.
“Greenville is such a top-tier market. There's such it's such a bright, vibrant, growing community here,” Gullapalli said.
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DHC originated in an East Hollywood parking lot as a pop-up restaurant in 2017. The chain has grown to more than 700 locations in the U.S., Dubai, and Canada.
Who's behind the franchise?
Gullapalli lived in Michigan before moving to Tampa, Fla. His business headquarters are in Columbia, where he operates 51 other fast-food restaurants, including Marco's Pizza, in South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida.
Simonetti oversees the company's operations. Born and raised in New York, he has lived in Anderson over six years. .
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The partners said it was important to locate on Woodruff Road and felt lucky to be able to call one of the busiest roads in Greenville home.
“Location for any business is everything. You have to be front and center so that you can serve as many customers as you can," Gullapalli said.
According to the South Carolina Department of Transportation, about 38,600 vehicles drive on Woodruff Road daily.
Simonetti and Gullapalli estimate over 1,000 people will visit the restaurant during the opening weekend.
What to expect?
Both said their chicken is different from most others.
“We use the highest quality chicken tenders possible. I think people should expect a fresh chicken tender with fresh chicken product that's made fresh for you upon ordering. We're not fast food, we're fast casual,” Gullapalli said.
“We don't take any shortcuts with it, so you may have to wait a couple of minutes," Simonetti added, "but that's because it's been fried fresh. You'll never have old stale chicken with us."
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Inside the restaurant, there is a mural with the words “Pleasantburg” and a bridge painted beside it amongst colorful displays. The inside and outside of the restaurant were painted by two artists named Dehmq and Art, who painted every Dave’s location in the same style but customized it based on the location.
Simonetti said everything, from the paintings to the music and the food, is handpicked to give customers a comfortable dining experience.
“It's a unique experience and it's different than anywhere else. We try to provide each guest with a great experience that'll make them want to come back,” Simonetti said.
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: L.A.- based fast-casual restaurant prepares to bring the spice to new Greenville location
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